If you’re a tennis fan, you know that the off-season isn’t like other sports. There’s a few weeks around the holidays where ATP and WTA players aren’t competing in tour-level events, but many of them choose to play exhibitions, set up intense training sessions, or even play practice matches. Many pros, however, have all found themselves eager to get right back on a lengthy flight and travel around the world to the same place as their fellow competitors. Enter, the Maldives, a tennis professional’s go-to off-season destination.

Maldives Watch: A Term Coined by Nothing Major

If you’re a fan of the Nothing Major podcast, you’ll know they’ve coined the affectionate term “Maldives watch” for that magical timeframe each year when players start booking flights to tropical bliss. In recent episodes, the hosts chat about this trend, fan buzz, and all the off-court gossip — because true tennis aficionados care as much about who’s sipping coconut water as who’s serving aces.

Earlier episodes even unpack this annual exodus with ATP player Reilly Opelka, or the Chief Maldives Correspondent, including his take on why everyone seems to end up in the same place once the tour wraps. If you’re already intrigued, watch the full episode here.

Why the Maldives?

It’s not just the postcard-perfect beaches, though that helps. In recent coverage, tennis insiders and even players themselves have joked that the Maldives is like an invisible season-ending destination where everyone ends up anyway. Because after weeks of indoor courts and travel stress, a little ocean breeze feels much earned and well deserved.

And for active pros or fit-for-fun travelers, you don’t have to abandon your racquet just because the ATP/WTA season is over. Many of the properties there feature world-class courts featuring impeccable views.

Tropical Tennis Hotspots You Can Visit According to TRO

Here are some amazing Maldives resorts listed on TRO where you can play (or just pretend you’re practicing like a pro 🤭) during your off-season and anytime:

• Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island: Features a lighted tennis court with social hits and private coaching sessions, nestled right by a pristine beach
• Kurumba Maldives – Sunball Tennis: Offers year-round individual and group lessons, a kids academy, and racquet programming for all ages
• Cheval Blanc Randheli: Has two pro-standard outdoor tennis courts with options for organized play and matches on your own terms
• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa: Includes outdoor tennis courts with complimentary racquets/balls and guest lessons or clinics
• Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa: Sports two floodlit outdoor hard courts and structured coaching via a tennis partner program
• One&Only Reethi Rah: Offers two synthetic grass courts and professional tennis coaching suitable for casual play or improvement sessions

Beyond these, many Maldives resorts offer courts, group lessons, or even padel options if you want to mix up your play. View the full list of Maldives listings on TRO here.

How the Pros Balance Resting, Rallying and Resetting

While superstars are soaking in that tropical sun, a lot of them mix:

• Relaxation – Because even elite athletes need recovery!
• Casual Hits – Some keep the racquet warm with light matches or drills.
• Clinics & Coaching – A few pros even drop into resort clinics or private sessions (even for guests 😎), thanks to programs like LUX Tennis that host coaching and star events at several popular resorts.

So whether you picture them lounging with a fruity drink or sneaking in a few serves before lunch — the off-season for tour pros isn’t exactly off. It’s just… more tropical.

The Final Serve

For Tennis Resorts Online readers, off-season isn’t a time to hang up your racquets — it’s a chance to chase summer and maybe channel a little pro flair on the court. And if you time it right, you might just bump into the stars of the Maldives themselves.